1
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Fare CM, Rothstein JD. Nuclear pore dysfunction and disease: a complex opportunity. Nucleus 2024; 15:2314297. [PMID: 38383349 PMCID: PMC10883112 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2024.2314297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The separation of genetic material from bulk cytoplasm has enabled the evolution of increasingly complex organisms, allowing for the development of sophisticated forms of life. However, this complexity has created new categories of dysfunction, including those related to the movement of material between cellular compartments. In eukaryotic cells, nucleocytoplasmic trafficking is a fundamental biological process, and cumulative disruptions to nuclear integrity and nucleocytoplasmic transport are detrimental to cell survival. This is particularly true in post-mitotic neurons, where nuclear pore injury and errors to nucleocytoplasmic trafficking are strongly associated with neurodegenerative disease. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of nuclear pore biology in physiological and pathological contexts and discuss potential therapeutic approaches for addressing nuclear pore injury and dysfunctional nucleocytoplasmic transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte M Fare
- Department of Neurology and Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Rothstein
- Department of Neurology and Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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2
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Klughammer N, Barth A, Dekker M, Fragasso A, Onck PR, Dekker C. Diameter dependence of transport through nuclear pore complex mimics studied using optical nanopores. eLife 2024; 12:RP87174. [PMID: 38376900 PMCID: PMC10942607 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The nuclear pore complex (NPC) regulates the selective transport of large biomolecules through the nuclear envelope. As a model system for nuclear transport, we construct NPC mimics by functionalizing the pore walls of freestanding palladium zero-mode waveguides with the FG-nucleoporin Nsp1. This approach enables the measurement of single-molecule translocations through individual pores using optical detection. We probe the selectivity of Nsp1-coated pores by quantitatively comparing the translocation rates of the nuclear transport receptor Kap95 to the inert probe BSA over a wide range of pore sizes from 35 nm to 160 nm. Pores below 55 ± 5 nm show significant selectivity that gradually decreases for larger pores. This finding is corroborated by coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of the Nsp1 mesh within the pore, which suggest that leakage of BSA occurs by diffusion through transient openings within the dynamic mesh. Furthermore, we experimentally observe a modulation of the BSA permeation when varying the concentration of Kap95. The results demonstrate the potential of single-molecule fluorescence measurements on biomimetic NPCs to elucidate the principles of nuclear transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Klughammer
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of TechnologyDelftNetherlands
| | - Anders Barth
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of TechnologyDelftNetherlands
| | - Maurice Dekker
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of GroningenGroningenNetherlands
| | - Alessio Fragasso
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of TechnologyDelftNetherlands
| | - Patrick R Onck
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of GroningenGroningenNetherlands
| | - Cees Dekker
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of TechnologyDelftNetherlands
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3
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Kapinos LE, Kalita J, Kassianidou E, Rencurel C, Lim RYH. Mechanism of exportin retention in the cell nucleus. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202306094. [PMID: 38241019 PMCID: PMC10798875 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202306094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Exportin receptors are concentrated in the nucleus to transport essential cargoes out of it. A mislocalization of exportins to the cytoplasm is linked to disease. Hence, it is important to understand how their containment within the nucleus is regulated. Here, we have studied the nuclear efflux of exportin2 (cellular apoptosis susceptibility protein or CAS) that delivers karyopherinα (Kapα or importinα), the cargo adaptor for karyopherinβ1 (Kapβ1 or importinβ1), to the cytoplasm in a Ran guanosine triphosphate (RanGTP)-mediated manner. We show that the N-terminus of CAS attenuates the interaction of RanGTPase activating protein 1 (RanGAP1) with RanGTP to slow GTP hydrolysis, which suppresses CAS nuclear exit at nuclear pore complexes (NPCs). Strikingly, a single phosphomimetic mutation (T18D) at the CAS N-terminus is sufficient to abolish its nuclear retention and coincides with metastatic cellular behavior. Furthermore, downregulating Kapβ1 disrupts CAS nuclear retention, which highlights the balance between their respective functions that is essential for maintaining the Kapα transport cycle. Therefore, NPCs play a functional role in selectively partitioning exportins in the cell nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larisa E. Kapinos
- Biozentrum and the Swiss Nanoscience Institute, University of Basel Switzerland, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Joanna Kalita
- Biozentrum and the Swiss Nanoscience Institute, University of Basel Switzerland, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Elena Kassianidou
- Biozentrum and the Swiss Nanoscience Institute, University of Basel Switzerland, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Chantal Rencurel
- Biozentrum and the Swiss Nanoscience Institute, University of Basel Switzerland, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Roderick Y. H. Lim
- Biozentrum and the Swiss Nanoscience Institute, University of Basel Switzerland, Basel, Switzerland
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4
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Dickson CF, Hertel S, Tuckwell AJ, Li N, Ruan J, Al-Izzi SC, Ariotti N, Sierecki E, Gambin Y, Morris RG, Towers GJ, Böcking T, Jacques DA. The HIV capsid mimics karyopherin engagement of FG-nucleoporins. Nature 2024; 626:836-842. [PMID: 38267582 PMCID: PMC10881392 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06969-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
HIV can infect non-dividing cells because the viral capsid can overcome the selective barrier of the nuclear pore complex and deliver the genome directly into the nucleus1,2. Remarkably, the intact HIV capsid is more than 1,000 times larger than the size limit prescribed by the diffusion barrier of the nuclear pore3. This barrier in the central channel of the nuclear pore is composed of intrinsically disordered nucleoporin domains enriched in phenylalanine-glycine (FG) dipeptides. Through multivalent FG interactions, cellular karyopherins and their bound cargoes solubilize in this phase to drive nucleocytoplasmic transport4. By performing an in vitro dissection of the nuclear pore complex, we show that a pocket on the surface of the HIV capsid similarly interacts with FG motifs from multiple nucleoporins and that this interaction licences capsids to penetrate FG-nucleoporin condensates. This karyopherin mimicry model addresses a key conceptual challenge for the role of the HIV capsid in nuclear entry and offers an explanation as to how an exogenous entity much larger than any known cellular cargo may be able to non-destructively breach the nuclear envelope.
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Affiliation(s)
- C F Dickson
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - S Hertel
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - A J Tuckwell
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - N Li
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - J Ruan
- Electron Microscope Unit, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - S C Al-Izzi
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - N Ariotti
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - E Sierecki
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Y Gambin
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - R G Morris
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - G J Towers
- Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK
| | - T Böcking
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - D A Jacques
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
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5
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Khalil B, Linsenmeier M, Smith CL, Shorter J, Rossoll W. Nuclear-import receptors as gatekeepers of pathological phase transitions in ALS/FTD. Mol Neurodegener 2024; 19:8. [PMID: 38254150 PMCID: PMC10804745 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00698-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are fatal neurodegenerative disorders on a disease spectrum that are characterized by the cytoplasmic mislocalization and aberrant phase transitions of prion-like RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). The common accumulation of TAR DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43), fused in sarcoma (FUS), and other nuclear RBPs in detergent-insoluble aggregates in the cytoplasm of degenerating neurons in ALS/FTD is connected to nuclear pore dysfunction and other defects in the nucleocytoplasmic transport machinery. Recent advances suggest that beyond their canonical role in the nuclear import of protein cargoes, nuclear-import receptors (NIRs) can prevent and reverse aberrant phase transitions of TDP-43, FUS, and related prion-like RBPs and restore their nuclear localization and function. Here, we showcase the NIR family and how they recognize cargo, drive nuclear import, and chaperone prion-like RBPs linked to ALS/FTD. We also discuss the promise of enhancing NIR levels and developing potentiated NIR variants as therapeutic strategies for ALS/FTD and related neurodegenerative proteinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bilal Khalil
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, U.S.A
| | - Miriam Linsenmeier
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, U.S.A
| | - Courtney L Smith
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, U.S.A
- Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience Track, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, U.S.A
| | - James Shorter
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, U.S.A..
| | - Wilfried Rossoll
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, U.S.A..
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6
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Barrientos ECR, Otto TA, Mouton SN, Steen A, Veenhoff LM. A survey of the specificity and mechanism of 1,6 hexanediol-induced disruption of nuclear transport. Nucleus 2023; 14:2240139. [PMID: 37498221 PMCID: PMC10376917 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2023.2240139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Selective transport through the nuclear pore complex (NPC) depends on the dynamic binding of FG-repeat containing nucleoporins, the FG-nups, with each other and with Karyopherins (Kaps). Here, we assessed the specificity and mechanism by which the aliphatic alcohol 1,6-hexanediol (1,6HD) disrupts the permeability barrier of NPCs in live baker's yeast cells. After a 10-minute exposure to 5% 1,6HD, no notable changes were observed in cell growth, cytosolic pH and ATP levels, or the appearance of organelles. However, effects on the cytoskeleton and Hsp104 were noted. 1,6HD clearly affected the NPC permeability barrier, allowing passive nuclear entry of a 177kDa reporter protein that is normally confined to the cytosol. Moreover, multiple Kaps were displaced from NPCs, and the displacement of Kap122-GFP correlated with the observed passive permeability changes. 1,6HD thus temporarily permeates NPCs, and in line with Kap-centric models, the mechanism includes the release of numerous Kaps from the NPCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth C Riquelme Barrientos
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 AV Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Tegan A Otto
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 AV Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sara N Mouton
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 AV Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Anton Steen
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 AV Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Liesbeth M Veenhoff
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 AV Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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7
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Yang Y, Guo L, Chen L, Gong B, Jia D, Sun Q. Nuclear transport proteins: structure, function, and disease relevance. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:425. [PMID: 37945593 PMCID: PMC10636164 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01649-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Proper subcellular localization is crucial for the functioning of biomacromolecules, including proteins and RNAs. Nuclear transport is a fundamental cellular process that regulates the localization of many macromolecules within the nuclear or cytoplasmic compartments. In humans, approximately 60 proteins are involved in nuclear transport, including nucleoporins that form membrane-embedded nuclear pore complexes, karyopherins that transport cargoes through these complexes, and Ran system proteins that ensure directed and rapid transport. Many of these nuclear transport proteins play additional and essential roles in mitosis, biomolecular condensation, and gene transcription. Dysregulation of nuclear transport is linked to major human diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and viral infections. Selinexor (KPT-330), an inhibitor targeting the nuclear export factor XPO1 (also known as CRM1), was approved in 2019 to treat two types of blood cancers, and dozens of clinical trials of are ongoing. This review summarizes approximately three decades of research data in this field but focuses on the structure and function of individual nuclear transport proteins from recent studies, providing a cutting-edge and holistic view on the role of nuclear transport proteins in health and disease. In-depth knowledge of this rapidly evolving field has the potential to bring new insights into fundamental biology, pathogenic mechanisms, and therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Lu Guo
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Lin Chen
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Bo Gong
- The Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study of Sichuan Province and Department of Laboratory Medicine, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Research Unit for Blindness Prevention of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU026), Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Da Jia
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Qingxiang Sun
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
- Department of Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Centre, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Centre of Biotherapy, Chengdu, China.
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8
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Rush C, Jiang Z, Tingey M, Feng F, Yang W. Unveiling the complexity: assessing models describing the structure and function of the nuclear pore complex. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1245939. [PMID: 37876551 PMCID: PMC10591098 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1245939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The nuclear pore complex (NPC) serves as a pivotal subcellular structure, acting as a gateway that orchestrates nucleocytoplasmic transport through a selectively permeable barrier. Nucleoporins (Nups), particularly those containing phenylalanine-glycine (FG) motifs, play indispensable roles within this barrier. Recent advancements in technology have significantly deepened our understanding of the NPC's architecture and operational intricacies, owing to comprehensive investigations. Nevertheless, the conspicuous presence of intrinsically disordered regions within FG-Nups continues to present a formidable challenge to conventional static characterization techniques. Historically, a multitude of strategies have been employed to unravel the intricate organization and behavior of FG-Nups within the NPC. These endeavors have given rise to multiple models that strive to elucidate the structural layout and functional significance of FG-Nups. Within this exhaustive review, we present a comprehensive overview of these prominent models, underscoring their proposed dynamic and structural attributes, supported by pertinent research. Through a comparative analysis, we endeavor to shed light on the distinct characteristics and contributions inherent in each model. Simultaneously, it remains crucial to acknowledge the scarcity of unequivocal validation for any of these models, as substantiated by empirical evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Weidong Yang
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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9
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Kuiper EFE, Prophet SM, Schlieker C. Coordinating nucleoporin condensation and nuclear pore complex assembly. FEBS Lett 2023; 597:2534-2545. [PMID: 37620293 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
The nuclear pore complex (NPC) is among the most elaborate protein complexes in eukaryotes. While ribosomes and proteasomes are known to require dedicated assembly machinery, our understanding of NPC assembly is at a relatively early stage. Defects in NPC assembly or homeostasis are tied to movement disorders, including dystonia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), as well as aging, requiring a better understanding of these processes to enable therapeutic intervention. Here, we discuss recent progress in the understanding of NPC assembly and highlight how related defects in human disorders can shed light on NPC biogenesis. We propose that the condensation of phenylalanine-glycine repeat nucleoporins needs to be carefully controlled during NPC assembly to prevent aberrant condensation, aggregation, or amyloid formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- E F Elsiena Kuiper
- Department of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sarah M Prophet
- Department of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Christian Schlieker
- Department of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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10
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Akey CW, Echeverria I, Ouch C, Nudelman I, Shi Y, Wang J, Chait BT, Sali A, Fernandez-Martinez J, Rout MP. Implications of a multiscale structure of the yeast nuclear pore complex. Mol Cell 2023; 83:3283-3302.e5. [PMID: 37738963 PMCID: PMC10630966 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.08.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) direct the nucleocytoplasmic transport of macromolecules. Here, we provide a composite multiscale structure of the yeast NPC, based on improved 3D density maps from cryogenic electron microscopy and AlphaFold2 models. Key features of the inner and outer rings were integrated into a comprehensive model. We resolved flexible connectors that tie together the core scaffold, along with equatorial transmembrane complexes and a lumenal ring that anchor this channel within the pore membrane. The organization of the nuclear double outer ring reveals an architecture that may be shared with ancestral NPCs. Additional connections between the core scaffold and the central transporter suggest that under certain conditions, a degree of local organization is present at the periphery of the transport machinery. These connectors may couple conformational changes in the scaffold to the central transporter to modulate transport. Collectively, this analysis provides insights into assembly, transport, and NPC evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher W Akey
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, 700 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
| | - Ignacia Echeverria
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Christna Ouch
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, 700 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 364 Plantation St., Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Ilona Nudelman
- Laboratory of Cellular and Structural Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Yi Shi
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Junjie Wang
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brian T Chait
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andrej Sali
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Javier Fernandez-Martinez
- Laboratory of Cellular and Structural Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48013 Bilbao, Spain; Instituto Biofisika (UPV/EHU, CSIC), University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Michael P Rout
- Laboratory of Cellular and Structural Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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11
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Yu M, Heidari M, Mikhaleva S, Tan PS, Mingu S, Ruan H, Reinkemeier CD, Obarska-Kosinska A, Siggel M, Beck M, Hummer G, Lemke EA. Visualizing the disordered nuclear transport machinery in situ. Nature 2023; 617:162-169. [PMID: 37100914 PMCID: PMC10156602 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05990-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
The approximately 120 MDa mammalian nuclear pore complex (NPC) acts as a gatekeeper for the transport between the nucleus and cytosol1. The central channel of the NPC is filled with hundreds of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) called FG-nucleoporins (FG-NUPs)2,3. Although the structure of the NPC scaffold has been resolved in remarkable detail, the actual transport machinery built up by FG-NUPs-about 50 MDa-is depicted as an approximately 60-nm hole in even highly resolved tomograms and/or structures computed with artificial intelligence4-11. Here we directly probed conformations of the vital FG-NUP98 inside NPCs in live cells and in permeabilized cells with an intact transport machinery by using a synthetic biology-enabled site-specific small-molecule labelling approach paired with highly time-resolved fluorescence microscopy. Single permeabilized cell measurements of the distance distribution of FG-NUP98 segments combined with coarse-grained molecular simulations of the NPC allowed us to map the uncharted molecular environment inside the nanosized transport channel. We determined that the channel provides-in the terminology of the Flory polymer theory12-a 'good solvent' environment. This enables the FG domain to adopt expanded conformations and thus control transport between the nucleus and cytoplasm. With more than 30% of the proteome being formed from IDPs, our study opens a window into resolving disorder-function relationships of IDPs in situ, which are important in various processes, such as cellular signalling, phase separation, ageing and viral entry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Yu
- Biocenter, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Biology Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Structural and Computational Biology, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maziar Heidari
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sofya Mikhaleva
- Biocenter, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Biology Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Structural and Computational Biology, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Piau Siong Tan
- Structural and Computational Biology, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sara Mingu
- Biocenter, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Biology Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Hao Ruan
- Biocenter, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Biology Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Christopher D Reinkemeier
- Biocenter, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Biology Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Structural and Computational Biology, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Marc Siggel
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martin Beck
- Department of Molecular Sociology, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Gerhard Hummer
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- Institute of Biophysics, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Edward A Lemke
- Biocenter, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
- Institute of Molecular Biology Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
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Cowburn D, Rout M. Improving the hole picture: towards a consensus on the mechanism of nuclear transport. Biochem Soc Trans 2023; 51:871-886. [PMID: 37099395 PMCID: PMC10212546 DOI: 10.1042/bst20220494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/27/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) mediate the exchange of materials between the nucleoplasm and cytoplasm, playing a key role in the separation of nucleic acids and proteins into their required compartments. The static structure of the NPC is relatively well defined by recent cryo-EM and other studies. The functional roles of dynamic components in the pore of the NPC, phenylalanyl-glycyl (FG) repeat rich nucleoporins, is less clear because of our limited understanding of highly dynamic protein systems. These proteins form a 'restrained concentrate' which interacts with and concentrates nuclear transport factors (NTRs) to provide facilitated nucleocytoplasmic transport of cargoes. Very rapid on- and off-rates among FG repeats and NTRs supports extremely fast facilitated transport, close to the rate of macromolecular diffusion in cytoplasm, while complexes without specific interactions are entropically excluded, though details on several aspects of the transport mechanism and FG repeat behaviors remain to be resolved. However, as discussed here, new technical approaches combined with more advanced modeling methods will likely provide an improved dynamic description of NPC transport, potentially at the atomic level in the near future. Such advances are likely to be of major benefit in comprehending the roles the malfunctioning NPC plays in cancer, ageing, viral diseases, and neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Cowburn
- Departments of Biochemistry and Systems and Computational Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, U.S.A
| | - Michael Rout
- Laboratory of Cellular and Structural Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, U.S.A
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Kozai T, Fernandez-Martinez J, van Eeuwen T, Gallardo P, Kapinos LE, Mazur A, Zhang W, Tempkin J, Panatala R, Delgado-Izquierdo M, Raveh B, Sali A, Chait BT, Veenhoff LM, Rout MP, Lim RYH. Dynamic molecular mechanism of the nuclear pore complex permeability barrier. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.31.535055. [PMID: 37066338 PMCID: PMC10103940 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.31.535055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) mediate nucleocytoplasmic transport of specific macromolecules while impeding the exchange of unsolicited material. However, key aspects of this gating mechanism remain controversial. To address this issue, we determined the nanoscopic behavior of the permeability barrier directly within yeast S. cerevisiae NPCs at transport-relevant timescales. We show that the large intrinsically disordered domains of phenylalanine-glycine repeat nucleoporins (FG Nups) exhibit highly dynamic fluctuations to create transient voids in the permeability barrier that continuously shape-shift and reseal, resembling a radial polymer brush. Together with cargo-carrying transport factors the FG domains form a feature called the central plug, which is also highly dynamic. Remarkably, NPC mutants with longer FG domains show interweaving meshwork-like behavior that attenuates nucleocytoplasmic transport in vivo. Importantly, the bona fide nanoscale NPC behaviors and morphologies are not recapitulated by in vitro FG domain hydrogels. NPCs also exclude self-assembling FG domain condensates in vivo, thereby indicating that the permeability barrier is not generated by a self-assembling phase condensate, but rather is largely a polymer brush, organized by the NPC scaffold, whose dynamic gating selectivity is strongly enhanced by the presence of transport factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiya Kozai
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Switzerland
- Swiss Nanoscience Institute, University of Basel, Switzerland
| | - Javier Fernandez-Martinez
- Laboratory of Cellular and Structural Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, U.S.A
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
- Instituto Biofisika (UPV/EHU, CSIC), University of the Basque Country, 48940, Leioa, Spain
| | - Trevor van Eeuwen
- Laboratory of Cellular and Structural Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, U.S.A
| | - Paola Gallardo
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Netherlands
| | | | - Adam Mazur
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Switzerland
| | - Wenzhu Zhang
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry, The Rockefeller University, New York, U.S.A
| | - Jeremy Tempkin
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, U.S.A. Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA. Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | | | - Barak Raveh
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Andrej Sali
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, U.S.A. Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA. Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Brian T. Chait
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry, The Rockefeller University, New York, U.S.A
| | - Liesbeth M. Veenhoff
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Michael P. Rout
- Laboratory of Cellular and Structural Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, U.S.A
| | - Roderick Y. H. Lim
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Switzerland
- Swiss Nanoscience Institute, University of Basel, Switzerland
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Zheng T, Zilman A. Self-regulation of the nuclear pore complex enables clogging-free crowded transport. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2212874120. [PMID: 36757893 PMCID: PMC9963888 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2212874120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) are the main conduits for macromolecular transport into and out of the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. The central component of the NPC transport mechanism is an assembly of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) that fills the NPC channel. The channel interior is further crowded by large numbers of simultaneously translocating cargo-carrying and free transport proteins. How the NPC can efficiently, rapidly, and selectively transport varied cargoes in such crowded conditions remains ill understood. Past experimental results suggest that the NPC is surprisingly resistant to clogging and that transport may even become faster and more efficient as the concentration of transport protein increases. To understand the mechanisms behind these puzzling observations, we construct a computational model of the NPC comprising only a minimal set of commonly accepted consensus features. This model qualitatively reproduces the previous experimental results and identifies self-regulating mechanisms that relieve crowding. We show that some of the crowding-alleviating mechanisms-such as preventing saturation of the bulk flux-are "robust" and rely on very general properties of crowded dynamics in confined channels, pertaining to a broad class of selective transport nanopores. By contrast, the counterintuitive ability of the NPC to leverage crowding to achieve more efficient single-molecule translocation is "fine-tuned" and relies on the particular spatial architecture of the IDP assembly in the NPC channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Zheng
- Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 1A7, Canada
| | - Anton Zilman
- Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 1A7, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 3G9, Canada
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Function of the Nuclear Transport Machinery in Maintaining the Distinctive Compositions of the Nucleus and Cytoplasm. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052578. [PMID: 35269721 PMCID: PMC8910404 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the separation of transcription and translation, mediated by the nuclear envelope, is the defining characteristic of Eukaryotes, the barrier between the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments needs to be semipermeable to enable material to be moved between them. Moreover, each compartment needs to have a distinctive complement of macromolecules to mediate specific functions and so movement between them needs to be controlled. This is achieved through the selective active transport of macromolecules through the nuclear pores that stud the nuclear envelope, and which serve as a conduit between these compartments. Nuclear pores are huge cylindrical macromolecular assemblies and are constructed from the order of 30 different proteins called nucleoporins. Nuclear pores have a central transport channel that is filled with a dense network of natively unfolded portions of many different nuclear pore proteins (nucleoporins or nups). This network generates a barrier that impedes, but does not entirely prevent, the diffusion of many macromolecules through the pores. The rapid movement of a range of proteins and RNAs through the pores is mediated by a range of transport factors that bind their cargo in one compartment and release it in the other. However, although as their size increases the diffusion of macromolecules through nuclear pores is progressively impaired, additional mechanisms, including the binding of some macromolecules to immobile components of each compartment and also the active removal of macromolecules from the inappropriate compartment, are needed to fully maintain the distinctive compositions of each compartment.
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